WFH — Working From Home — has become the new normal for many Americans, but so has WOFH: Working Out From Home. Zumba, the world's largest dance-fitness brand, has been actively working to make it easier to stay active, and a little bit more fun, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, said the brand's CEO.
"As soon as the pandemic hit, we challenged our entire tech team to start developing solutions for our instructors to be able to teach livestream classes, and they've developed a suite of products that are incredible, that help our instructors set up their classes, schedule their classes, take payments, and livestream their classes," Alberto Perlman, CEO of Zumba Fitness, told Cheddar on Monday.
There are nearly one million people reportedly taking virtual Zumba classes each week, filmed by instructors around the world.
"One of the things I am most proud about is that it's not only a workout but it's also keeping them sane. It's a stress-relief, it's fun," Perlman said. "It's just been amazing to see this community of Zumba students and Zumba instructors start migrating online."
Instructors were given a platform called ZIN Studio (Zumba Instructor Network) to help support their transition from in-person to virtual classes. Rather than using Zoom or DaCast, Zumba has created its own platform.
"It's authentic and raw, but the quality of the video is great," Perlman said. "ZIN Studio is an amazing tool that basically buffers the video and the audio so that they come out together perfectly."
Zumba is planning on keeping remote classes through the fall, according to Perlman. "Virtual classes are here to stay. We are also doing outdoor classes where it's permitted. We are doing in-gym classes with safe social distancing, and we are doing hybrid classes," he said.
Hybrid classes are half in-studio and half virtual. Participants joining online can see other participants behind the instructor. Students pay per Zumba class and classes are on average about $5, according to the CEO.
Zumba isn't just helping people stay fit but also helping those affected by the coronavirus. The fitness company has partnered with The Global Foodbanking Network to donate one million meals to people impacted by COVID-19.
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
